All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Richard Tonkin: Many thanks for the update re the signal strength readings obtained from both stations, as Mendips Ch49 is indicated at about what would be expected considering the numbers of complaints I have seen made about poor reception or indeed none at all, although your indications from Wenvoe are considerably higher than I would have expected considering that its being received at only around 10 degrees or so away from the aerials null spot (90 degrees from a signal) if directed towards Mendip and so you must be in a reasonably good spot for reception.
By the way the 9200T (one of my Humax's being a 9200T) is an excellent box to use for test purposes as its readings are much more in line to that obtained from a proper signal strength meter, albeit the latter's indications being in dB's, but though as far as Ch39 is concerned, if all was OK at the station then the indications should be roughly on par with ITV, and so it will be interesting to see what's going to happen in the next day or so because aerial boosters are not of any help either in situations where the quality is low compared to the strength, even although they nearly always do if the other way around.
Just for info purposes, Mendip @ 26 miles / 165 degrees, Wenvoe @ 24 miles / 246 degrees.
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Brenda: Nothing really interferes with Freesat via a dish except possibly the occasional snow in winter or in some cases a thundery downpour, the latter generally only affecting reception for a few minutes or so but usually less.
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Brenda: By the way, that said on the assumption that your flat has a communal aerial connection wall plate which also includes a Sat socket, this being a threaded protrusion on the wall plate rather than a normal aerial socket going inwards.
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Watt: Now you have just touched on something I was going to ask about regarding that Wickes unit as I was unable to find out any details about it, as I wanted to find out if its a self contained unit or powered by an external power supply via its coax downlead from one of the outputs, because a fault condition on this type of system can cause a DC voltage to appear on the aerial output socket and which can cause problems on receivers not fitted with an isolation capacitor behind the aerial input socket.
Although judging by your latest reports it would appear that the device is working by the fact of the signal being reduced if its bypassed, pity that you dont have a simple test meter though as you could measure if there was any voltage (approx 9 volts DC) across the coax connector that plugs into the Humax.
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Peter Brooks: Leads from a satellite dish are technically identical to each other and so any one, or pair of, can be used.
By the way connectors used for satellite purposes are called "F" connectors, although if intending to purchase any its always best to snip about an inch (25mm) from the end of the coax and take that to the shop that sells the connectors to make sure that you obtain the correct size for the cable as they can vary.
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Watt: If the distribution amp referred to is similar to that shown in the illustration then you can safely disregard any concerns that I may have expressed regarding the possibility of a DC voltage appearing across the coax connector, as I am acquaint with that model.
Can it be assumed though that you are not using the full output facility? because if you are then there is always the possibility of overloading the input on whatever its connected into.
With regards to the possibility of noise being generated from within the amplifier, although that there is always a chance of RF instability occurring in any RF amplification device, this can usually be killed off by varying the loading on the circuitry, and so try connecting the lead that goes to the Humax on a different output on the amp (not full) and with the Humax being the only device connected into it.
Also, some SMPS (switched mode) supplies are capable of creating considerable noise on a system, but I believe that this unit uses a standard older fashioned (but safer) double wound transformer power supply, you can check by setting your meter on say 10K ohms (or more) range and connecting it across the 13 amp power connector, if its a transformer supply it will read roughly the same with the test leads connected both ways around whereas NOT if SMPS.
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John Crabb: Well yes, but by removing the HHD recorder all you have possibly done is to slightly increase the level of signal reaching the TV, the positive way of verifying this one way or the other being to carry out a signal check prior to removing the HDD recorder, then one after having done so.
If all of these numerous people who complained of losing the signal simply done so because the level dropped "very" slightly, then their equipment must have been operating at a signal level that was sitting just above the cut off threshold and no more, something I very much doubt.
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Emma: I should really have requested the model number of the box that you are referring to, but though should it offer one of the reset options I mentioned in my previous reply then carry this out to make sure that nothing is stored in the tuners memory, then either (1) check to make sure that no EPG listings are seen (should maybe say "no signal or "no channels stored") and if not carry out a manual tune on Ch49, storing the results then checking that selecting BBC1 results in a picture, or (2) just simply carry out another auto tune then check BBC1 again.
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Emma: Just as an after thought, as by not having indicated your post code I was unable to check on this, but the advice given was based on the assumption that you are receiving Freeview from Mendip and not the Bristol Kings Weston transmitter, because if you are using the latter then BBC is on Ch43.
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Sunday 31 March 2013 6:51PM
Brenda: If you are not that bothered about HD then a Freesat box as simple (and cheap) as this one advertised by Argos would suffice, although there is nothing to stop you looking at their more expensive types should you require a little more sophistication.
Buy Bush Freesat Digital Set Top Box at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Set top boxes.